# data[].attributes.body
I found this video helpful because it teaches you how to organize your space which is crucial for anyone who is doing work from a computer. In this video Thomas creates rules that you can follow to help keep you on track when organizing your computer. These rules also help after you organize your things to make sure you remain organized. In this video Thomas teaches you to organize your things in folders titled by categories. He makes a point to mention if you have two folders that fall under one category its a good idea to store those folders in the folder with the category that best fits. This helps because you'll have less places to look when your trying to find something.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Best Way to Organize Your Computer Files

# data[].attributes.body
I chose this video because there is more information on organizing your papers in it. I personally prefer having paper notes and study guides as apposed to having everything digitalized. In this video Thomas notes that he also took some notes on paper and used a refillable notebook to keep everything organized. I think this would work well for me not to mention its cheaper to have a reusable notebook rather then continually buying a one subject notebook. Thomas also talks about the platforms he used to keep himself organized. Thomas suggests google drive as a good rescores to use.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How I Organize My Notes, Homework, and School Files - College Info Geek

# data[].attributes.body
I decided to tie this video to my organization Padlet because note taking is a big part of staying on top of your work and keeping you mind organized. In this video Thomas lists, what he thinks are, the five most useful note taking methods: The outline method, Cornell Method, Mind Map Method, Flow method, and The Wright on The Slides Method. There are two methods that I gravitate towards. I like the "Wright on the slides" method as a typically use it in core classes such as math or science. I like the idea of the "Flow" method as my brain works in a weird way and the flow method allows you to wright notes based off of how you perceive the information being taught to you. I also use Cornell notes as I was taught how to use them in 9th grade. I think that these strategy's are crucial to help students stay on track.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Take Notes in Class: The 5 Best Methods - College Info Geek

# data[].attributes.body
I chose this website because Emily McGowan gives some great suggestions on how to stay organized when taking classes online. I particularly liked how she focused on the physical reediness for class when it comes to having classes online.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tips For Learning-Or Working-Remotely

"What's NOT going through my head right now?" texted my sister-in-law, who started her second year of college in fall of 2020. Since I'm many years removed from my last first day of school (😭), I connected with her to get a temperature check on how she feels about remote learning and updated safety measures-which are still in place for many people in 2022.

"I think the biggest red flag that stands out for me and a lot of my peers is that nobody is in their element," she explained. "You go to college for the education and the experience of learning from your professors, but we're all in this weird zone right now where nobody knows what to expect. Nobody knows how classes are going to go, and a lot of people are concerned-myself included-about their grades."

If you're learning virtually right now, you might also be trying to balance your to-do lists and that same sense of uncertainty about what the world will look like moving forward. Below, you'll find some best practices that can help distance learners feel more organized, productive, and successful this school year. Whether you're taking a single class as part of a personal enrichment plan or embarking on your freshman year of college or high school, there's support for you here.

1. Mental & Emotional Preparation

The traditional support system of in-person friendships and predictable class schedules gets turned upside-down when you're taking classes online. (Or, honestly, when you're working remotely!)

"It's easy to feel consumed by negative and anxiety-provoking thoughts when you are navigating unknown territory," says Sage Grazer, LCSW. "Staying in touch with how you are really feeling creates an opportunity for you to care for yourself and get your needs met so that you can function optimally in your relationships and with your schoolwork." Naming your anxieties and worries can help you properly identify where you need the most support.

"Staying in touch with how you are really feeling creates an opportunity for you to care for yourself and get your needs met so that you can function optimally in your relationships and with your schoolwork."

- Sage Grazer, LCSW

Grazer, the co-founder and Chief Clinical Officer of the mental wellness network Frame, suggests a therapeutic technique called "resourcing" to help you navigate stress and uncomfortable emotions. "Resourcing is identifying things in your life that are uplifting, calming, or enjoyable as a way to connect to internal sensations of wellbeing that are pleasant or neutral," she explains.

"You can ask yourself: what is one thing that doesn't hurt or feel bad right now? And then allow yourself to fully flesh out that thought/memory in your mind and envision yourself in that moment, allowing yourself to imagine being in the calming or pleasant sensations that your memory evokes."

As you navigate a less-structured schedule, focus on the things you can control-like how much sleep you get, your hydration levels, and your screen time outside of class hours. Moving your body and establishing a gratitude practice can help you feel grounded and present. Plus, creative nourishment also counts as self-care; are you offering yourself a chance to be creative instead of just productive? Invite play and free time into your schedule, if you can.

2. Physical Preparation

"How we physically show up to our virtual classes can make all the difference."

Pens? Check. Planner? Check. Blue light glasses? Check! How we physically show up to our virtual classes can make all the difference. Figure out what works for you. I schedule calendar alerts a day before a deadline and use physical planners and task-based programs to breakdown larger projects and timelines. Padlet, TreIlo, Notion, and Evernote are all useful for staying organized and keeping notes handy (drop your recs in the comments below 👇). I also keep track of what I have completed, because that list is always helpful to review when I feel like I haven't accomplished anything.

Establish pre-learning or pre-work rituals like lighting a candle, wiping down your desk, and turning your phone on silent. Drink coffee from a travel mug if you must-anything to help you feel like you're in the classroom or your workspace. Not everyone has access to a quiet, separate learning space. That's okay! Do what you can with what you have, and be sure to let your teachers know if you have conflicts with class participation.

3. Make a plan

Get familiar with how your energy levels ebb and flow, and see how much of your day you can schedule around that fluctuation. For example, if you do your best creative work in the evenings, plan an art or writing class for later in the day, and work on more mundane homework during the morning hours.

"Commuting directly from bed to laptop might just be a recipe for disaster."

Also plan to give yourself a little time before early AM classes to wake up, drink a cuppa, and orient yourself for the day. Commuting directly from bed to laptop, at least for me, has often been a recipe for disaster (and depression).

Most importantly, keep a proactive mindset. "It's not easy, but students should be as proactive as possible, opening doors where they can," says Seema Thomas, an Adjunct Professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Thomas recommends virtual internships, which are an increasing reality for many students, as valuable ways to network and hone their skills. Keep an eye out for industry events that you can find connections in, too, such as webinars and panels.

"I encourage the students to develop a professional brand.... Now is an incredible opportunity to be creative."

- Seema Thomas

No luck finding opportunities that work with your schedule? Take things into your own hands, says Thomas: "I encourage the students to develop a professional brand-blogging, developing their professional online presence. Now is an incredible opportunity to be creative (start your own podcast, start sketching a business plan of a rudimentary idea, etc.)."

4. Ask your teachers and academic advisors for what you need

If there's something you need, ask! We're all still mostly taking things one day at a time, and extra communication can be helpful as we're all figuring out what works and what doesn't.

"Teachers and professors are a great resource and most love to mentor students, so if something in class interests you, reach out to see if they have recommendations for how you can learn more," recommends Jamie Pack, an independent college counselor in North Carolina. "Those conversations are how student/teacher relationships develop into more mentor-like relationships." And those relationships are key for when you need letters of recommendation for your next steps. Pack adds, "These are the people who can attest to a student's character, resiliency, and adaptability during this strange time."

"If something in class interests you, reach out to see if [teachers] have recommendations for how you can learn more."

- Jamie Pack

Some examples of what you might need include transcriptions, extended deadlines, fewer discussion assignments, and on-demand recordings of lectures. You can connect with your academic advisor about your needs, or perhaps you need to find someone different who's more suited to your goals. Your peers can be resources, too. Ask how they're balancing their time and staying organized, and share and compare notes in advance of an exam.

Most importantly, get familiar with the resources you would have had in-person. If you're in a music program, consult your school (or a local business) about instrument or practice room rentals. If a computer, internet, or printer isn't available to you, visit your nearest office supply store or library to scope out pricing on those services. There may even be grants through your school, or you can ask your teachers about allowances to ensure everyone has the same access and resources while learning remotely.

In a perfect world, accessible accommodations are proactively provided and well supported. Unfortunately, they're not always a priority. Ask for them if you need them, but also ask for them to support the students that do. Nobody should be left out of an education due to a lack of resources.

5. Create a social curriculum, too

Community is an antidote for the uncertainty that surrounds us right now. Ask your academic advisor to direct you towards student organizations that are meeting virtually. And if your classes offer discussion boards, consider organizing a study group over Zoom.

"Ask your academic advisor to direct you towards student organizations that are meeting virtually....Ask [resident advisors] how they're planning to connect with the students."

If you're in college, reach out to the office of admissions or housing to find out if you have a virtual resident advisor. Ask them how they're planning to connect with the students and see if they can host a Slack or Discord channel for conversations, or even run virtual events. You might also look out for other students further along in your course of study, and reach out to them to share a virtual coffee and chat about your industry.

Remote learning has been a completely new landscape; it's okay to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and uncertain. In many ways, it's just an amplified version of what high school and college years are all about: staring at a blurry map, trying to figure out the path forward.

And when you feel like your mind is in a spiral, take a pause. "It's important to validate your feelings but also recognize that feelings aren't facts; feelings are personal truths, not universal facts," reminds Grazer. "So when you find yourself worrying about nightmare "what if" scenarios or feeling like you've failed at everything in life, ask yourself is this a feeling or a fact?" The fact is this: you are doing your best, you are deserving of support, and you are capable of navigating this season.

I promise you there's time: time to make friends, to explore your career, and to reinvent yourself a hundred times over. Life feels so urgent when it's pared down into semesters, but the real urgency lies in caring for yourself, your loved ones, and the community that surrounds you. 💛
Emily Torres is the Editorial Director at The Good Trade. Born and raised in Indiana, she studied Creative Writing and Business at Indiana University. You can usually find her in her colorful Los Angeles apartment journaling, caring for her rabbits, or gaming.
RELATED READING

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Stay Organized & Productive While You're Taking Online Classes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Virtual learning for the masses is a completely new landscape. Here are a few tips to stay organized, productive, and successful by communicating honestly with advisors, getting creative with personal branding, and more.

# data[].attributes.body
I think that this was a really cool site because College info geek actually pulled together his video's that he thought best suited college organization and further explained his video's. I liked how he used video's such as how to set up a planner and how to use a digital calendar but also videos on how to start a new semester of college or how to pack your backpack.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
C.I.G. is supported in part by its readers. If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Read more here.

Table of Contents arrow 2

1. Why You MUST Stay Organized in College (It's Not Why You Might Think)

2. How to Get Organized: 5 Key Areas of Focus

3. How to Stay Organized with Weekly Productivity Planning and Reviews

4. Staying Organized Sets You Up for Success

I used to be a terribly disorganized person.

Even as late as high school, my backpack was a mess of crumpled papers, broken pens, and cracker crumbs. It didn't hurt my academic performance, but it certainly hurt my sanity.

When I got to college, however, I had the good fortune of discovering this website. This led me to become more serious about organization, particularly when it came to my calendar and digital materials. I'm still no Marie Kondo, but these days I would consider myself "more organized than average."

In this guide, I'm going to take you through the entire process of getting yourself organized in college. As you'll see, getting organized is the easy part, so I'll also address the thing that really matters: how to stay organized throughout the semester.

So open up your favorite calendar app, pull out your notebooks, and let's get organized!

Why You MUST Stay Organized in College (It's Not Why You Might Think)

"Your brain is for having ideas, not storing them." - David Allen, Getting Things Done

I knew a lot of really smart people in college who barely got any sleep, mainlined caffeine, and seemed to exist in a constant state of low-grade panic.

You might assume this is because they were taking a heavy course load and were just overcommitted. While that was part of the problem in some cases, more often than not the reason for these people's hectic lifestyle was that they were severely disorganized.

They were still able to perform well because they were smart, paid attention in class, and could study effectively when they needed to. But their overall quality of life was less than it could have been.

This is the number one reason to get organized: it will drastically reduce your stress levels.

And when you're less stressed, you'll feel better and perform better on assignments. You'll also have more time for the things you enjoy doing, and you'll just be a more pleasant person to be around.

Note that getting organized will not automatically improve your GPA. You still have to study the material, go to class, take good notes, do the homework assignments, and get help from a professor or tutor when necessary.

But if you're organized, you'll also have more time to do the above things...instead of operating in panic mode and feeling like you never have the extra time to study difficult concepts.
P.S. - This guide is really detailed and will definitely get you up and running. However, if you want to see exactly how to set up each system we're about to cover, you might want to take our founder Thomas' productivity masterclass:
How to Get Organized: 5 Key Areas of Focus

Okay, so now that you understand the value of organization, let's take a look at the key areas that every student needs to organize. If you can get the following aspects of your life organized, then you'll be off to a strong start for the semester.

And even if you're reading this halfway through the semester, this advice will still apply - it just may require a bit more work to implement since you're in the midst of your classes.

1. Your Calendar

If I had to give just one piece of productivity advice for everyone to implement, it would be "use a calendar." It's quite shocking to me how disorganized many professionals are, and the issue generally stems from not using (and maintaining) a calendar.

Calendars free up so much space in your head. Instead of having to remember appointments, classes, or due dates using post-it notes or scraps of paper in your wallet, you can have everything organized in a convenient, visual format. And if you use a digital calendar, you can automatically get reminders of important events before they sneak up on you.

What you use for your calendar doesn't matter. We're big fans of Google Calendar here at College Info Geek, but you can also use any number of other calendar apps. You can even go old-school with a paper planner, as long as you look at it regularly enough.

Once you've chosen a calendar, the next step is to make a big brain dump of every important event for the semester. Here are some key things to include:

Your class times

Important due dates from your syllabi (exams, term papers, etc.)

Exercise times (you do have a workout schedule, right?)

Meetings with professors/tutors

Club/extracurricular meeting times

Dorm/apartment move-in/move-out dates

Your work schedule (if you have a part-time job)

Payment due dates (credit card, rent, any other important expenses)

An Example from My Real College Calendar

Once you have a list of all this stuff, it's time to put it on your calendar.

Here's an example of a typical week from my calendar during my senior year of college:

As you can see, I have all my classes blocked out. Not only did this make sure that I would never forget a class, but it also ensured that I would never schedule a meeting or other event during class time.

Note: If you're using a digital calendar, I highly recommend you set your classes to repeat. This way, you'll never forget when a class happens. Here's how to create recurring events in Google Calendar.

You'll also notice I have meetings, rehearsals, time for freelance work, and plenty of blank spots. I didn't schedule my study time, as I was pretty good about getting that work done, but you could also include study blocks for particular classes if you want.

Of course, your calendar is just part of the equation.

How do you keep track of all the things you need to do on a daily basis?

How do you keep track of homework, tasks around your living space, and other goals you want to accomplish?

For this, you need a to-do list...

2. Your To-Do List/Task Manager

While having a calendar is the bare minimum for being organized, having a to-do list will really take things to the next level.

At first, you might wonder if a to-do list is even necessary at all. After all, can't you just put all the things you have to do on your calendar?

While this method can work, it tends to fall apart if you have more than a couple things to do each day.

Plus, mixing your calendar and to-do list ignores the fact that each tool is better for different organizational tasks:

Your calendar is for keeping track of events. That is, things that occur at a specific day and/or time that generally require you to physically be somewhere.

Your to-do list, on the other hand, is for keeping track of tasks. Tasks are things you need to accomplish (sometimes on a specific day), but they generally don't require you to be in a specific place or keep an appointment of some kind.

I realize the difference between events and tasks can sometimes be murky, so here are a few examples:

Events:

A meeting with a professor

A class you have to attend

A music ensemble rehearsal

Tasks:

Drafting an essay to bring to a meeting with a professor

Completing a problem set for a class

Learning how to play a piece of music for a rehearsal

How to Set Up a To-Do List

Now that you understand the difference, how do you actually set up a to-do list?

Again, you have a variety of options, and what you choose will depend if you want to use a digital or physical system.

On the digital side, we recommend Todoist. It's free, intuitive, and easy to set up.

If you want a physical method, the bullet journal system is a great option. You can even create a hybrid digital-physical system, as Thomas discusses in this video:

But ultimately, it doesn't matter what system you use. You could use a whiteboard or a blank notebook if you want. What matters is that you keep an updated list of the tasks you need to accomplish, as well as, you know, actually doing said tasks.

To make your to-do list, you should first create a brain dump of everything that you need to do on a regular basis. Here are some tasks that most college students need to do:

Next, you'll need to put all of these tasks into your to-do list system. If you're using a digital system, you can set certain tasks to recur (think "take out the trash" or "complete calculus problems for the day"). And then, as you think of new tasks, you can add them to your system.

Here's an example of what my to-do list looked like in college:

3. Your Notes

Taking good notes is key for comprehending and retaining any lectures or presentations that your professors give.

But taking notes on its own isn't enough - to get the most value out of your notes, you need to keep them organized.

For some people, this could be as simple as having a different notebook for each class and referring back to it when you need to study for an exam.

While this can work, it's not ideal. This is particularly true when you're studying for a midterm or final and need to refer to weeks of notes.

To keep your notes extra organized, we recommend using a digital system such as Evernote. With Evernote, you can create a different digital "Notebook" for each class and type your notes there.

If you prefer to take notes by hand (which some studies indicate can help you better process information), then you can also digitize your notes afterwards. To make this simple, just do it after all your classes are done for the day, before you start your homework.

When you use this system, you'll be able to review material much more easily. You can even search for key terms and Evernote will help you find them in your notes, saving you the trouble of flipping back through a physical notebook.

4. Your Class Materials and Files (Digital and Physical)

In addition to your notes, each of your classes will likely have a syllabus, handouts, and presentations that you need to keep track of. You'll also likely have assignments that the professor (or their grader) has returned to you, which can be valuable materials to review when you're studying for an exam.

It's key to keep all of these materials organized. Sure, you can probably get the syllabus, handouts, and PowerPoint presentations online. But that's one extra step you have to go through when it comes time to study. Plus, you never know when the internet or school website might be down.

To be safe, I recommend you keep all of your class materials organized either in a physical three-ring binder or in some kind of digital system.

You could put all of the material in Evernote along with your notes, or you could have dedicated Google Drive folders for each class (other cloud sync apps like Dropbox and OneDrive work here as well, but Drive offers the best value for students unless you specifically need Microsoft Office).

Here's an example of the Google Drive file system I used for my classes during the first semester of my junior year:

For extra redundancy, you could also keep folders on your computer with these materials in case the internet is down and you can't access them.
Want more info on how to keep your files organized? Check out this guide Thomas created.
5. Your Backpack

We couldn't talk about organization in college without discussing something that almost every student has: a backpack.

Even with an increasingly digital world, you still need to carry around your computer. And many classes will still have physical textbooks that you need to bring, as well as assignments that you have to complete on paper.

Your backpack (or briefcase or purse or whatever you use) is key for keeping all of these materials organized and at the ready.

Organizing your backpack isn't hard - the key step is to remember to fill your backpack with the things you need for the day.

After all, there's nothing worse than showing up in class, only to get that sinking feeling in your stomach as you realize that you don't have the book or paper you need.

In some cases, not having the right materials could even hurt your participation grade, so organizing your backpack is something you must not overlook.

To make sure you bring everything to class, pack your bag the night before. This was the advice my mom gave me when I was in elementary school, and it still applied in college.

Packing the night before ensures that you don't forget anything due to being in a hurry. And it also allows you a night of sleep to recall something you forgot.

If you're really having trouble remembering to bring everything you need to class, you can add a task to your to-do list that says something like "Pack bag for [day of the week] classes." Under this task, write a list of the things that you need to bring. This way, you can check off the items as you're packing.

Here's an example of what this would look like in Todoist:
Curious what should be in your backpack for college? Check out this list.
How to Stay Organized with Weekly Productivity Planning and Reviews

If you went through all the steps in the previous section, you should now have a system for keeping all aspects of your life organized. However, creating the organizational system is actually the easy part.

The challenge comes from keeping things organized. So in this section, I'll show you two crucial habits that will help you maintain your organizational system:

1. Weekly planning

2. Weekly review

These two habits are complementary, and they take 30 minutes a week at most. Yet they can have a massive effect on whether or not you actually stay organized:

1. Review Your Previous Week

So you put your organizational system into place, and you now feel more motivated than ever.

However, what you'll quickly realize is that real life isn't as neat and precise as your beautiful to-do list and calendar.

Inevitably, unexpected things will come up that will prevent you from completing certain tasks or even attending certain events.

It's tempting to get frustrated when things don't go as planned, but it's more effective to accept that this will happen and correct your system accordingly.

One of the best ways for dealing with unexpected changes or challenges to your organization is to create a weekly productivity review habit.

This 3-step process only takes a few minutes:

1. Compare what you planned to accomplish with what you actually accomplished.

We start each week with the best intentions, but then life happens.

You planned to spend an hour each day practicing integral calculus, but you only did that 3 days out of the week.

You signed up for a Thursday evening yoga class, but then you ended up having too much homework to attend.

You get the idea. The point is to look at the gap between what you planned and what actually happened.

2. Use this information to make changes to your system.

Recognizing the gap between your plans and accomplishments means nothing if you don't use that information to inform your future plans.

Once you've identified what you didn't accomplish, you need to examine why. Then, you can adjust what you plan for the coming week.

For instance, if you didn't get in your hour of integral calculus practice each day, what prevented you?

You might realize that it was because you were studying in the student center and kept getting distracted by friends passing by. Recognizing this, you could plan to do your studying in the library basement, a place with no distractions except some dusty geological survey maps.

As you make this process a habit, you'll get better about planning realistic goals and schedules. Which brings us to the next habit...

2. Plan Your Upcoming Week

Once you've reviewed the previous week, it's time to plan for the week to come.

If you're adjusting what you do based on the previous week, then you're already on the right track. But in addition to reviewing the previous week, I recommend the following weekly planning steps:

1. Clean up your task management system and calendar.

During the course of the week, there will be tasks on your to-do list that you either forget to check off or just don't do. Your calendar may also end up with stray events that are no longer relevant, or with things that you need to reschedule for the coming week.

When you're planning the week to come, first make sure to clean out all the existing junk in your organizational systems.

Find new, realistic due dates for tasks you didn't get to last week, and make note of any rescheduled events on your calendar. This could also extend to organizing any binders you have for class, securing loose papers, and digitizing any notes you haven't gotten around to.

2. Plan for the week to come.

Once you've cleaned out everything from the previous week, you can turn your attention to the upcoming week.

To start, make a list of any upcoming tasks you can think of. I recommend looking at the syllabus for each of your classes, as well as any online systems that your professors use to post assignments. Then, transfer your tasks into your to-do list system.

Next, take a look at your calendar. See what events are coming for the week, and add anything that isn't currently on your calendar. Check your syllabus for impending due dates, and review your work schedule to make sure it's accurate.

Finally, make sure that your backpack is organized and packed for the following day. This will help you avoid forgetting an assignment or book you need to bring to class.

This weekly review and planning process may sound time-consuming when you read through it, but in reality, it should take no more than thirty minutes.

And if you do it every week, you'll find that it takes you less and less time as you become more organized. To make sure that you go through the process each week, block off time for it on your calendar (man that just got meta).

Staying Organized Sets You Up for Success

This ended up being a massive guide, so here are the key takeaways for easy reference:

Use Google Calendar (or another calendar app) to keep your events organized.

Organize your task with a to-do list system such as Todoist.

Digitize your notes for easier review.

Keep your physical and digital class materials organized using a three-ring binder and Google Drive.

Keep your backpack clean and stocked with the materials you need to bring to class.

Take 30 minutes each week to review the previous week and plan the week to come.

And above all, don't let your organizational system get in the way of what really matters: accomplishing the things you want to do.

The right organizational system will help you do the things you want without getting too stressed. But at the end of the day, you still have to sit down and do the work.

So go out there this semester and do something epic!
Need help staying organized while taking online classes? Check out this guide.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Easily Stay Organized and Productive in College

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Staying organized in college doesn't have to be hard. Here's how to build an organizational system that works, no matter how disorganized you currently are.